Copyleft - the Economics of Linux and other Open Source Software

M. Mustonen

University of Helsinki, Department of Economics from Department of Economics

Abstract: We build a model where the occupational choice of programmers determines the quality of programs in the consumer market. A monopolist, supplying the consumer market, has to take into account the impact the free software has on the market. When software implementation costs are low the monopolist will accept the presence of the copyleft program in the market. Our model explains the simultaneous presence of commercial and free copylefted programs in the market and laso why ther may not exist cimmercial alternatives to copyleft programs.

Keywords: PROPERTY RIGHTS; MARKET; INFORMATION (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: D23 L11 L15 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 26 pages
Date: 2000
References: Add references at CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:fth:helsec:493

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